BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The Penn State men’s swimming and diving team opened the 2013 Big Ten Championships in style, setting a new school record in the 200 medley relay with a time of 1:25.38, as well as posting three NCAA qualifying performances. The Nittany Lions (5-2, 0-1 Big Ten) currently sit in sixth-place overall out of their 10 Big Ten opponents.

The opening day of competition at the Big Tens can set the tone for the entire week, as the relay events prove to be the most exhilarating events of the championships. The 200 medley relay squad of sophomore Nate Savoy (Reading, Pa.), junior James Wilson (Nottingham, Pa.), junior Sean Grier (Hummelstown, Pa.) and junior Shane Austin (Kennett Square, Pa.) posted a fourth-place finishing time of 1:25.38, topping the previous Penn State school record by .23 seconds. The record had previously been held by Savoy, Mitchell Scherer, Grier and Brian Alden, set at the 2012 Big Ten Championships. The season-best time is also the first NCAA A cut for the Lions this season.

The NCAA qualifying times continued to come for Penn State, with the Lions taking eighth in the 800 free relay. The time of 6:28.85 is a season-best for the squad of junior John Hauser (Pottstown, Pa.), sophomore Nick Ankosko (East Brunswick, N.J.), Austin and junior Matt Salig (Downingtown, Pa.), and exceeded B cut standards by .63 seconds. Additionally, Hauser’s first leg split of 1:36.62 qualifies the junior for an NCAA B cut in the 200 free. It was Hauser’s personal best time in the event as a Nittany Lion.

Penn State continues competition tomorrow, Feb. 28 in Bloomington, competing in the 500 free, 200 IM, 50 free and the one-meter diving preliminaries. Follow all events with Live Results and get full Big Ten Championships coverage here.

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